News Letter

Another month has arrived on our doorsteps. As we approach spring more people begin to emerge from their hibernation and dust the bikes, running shoes and the like to prepare for another fresh set of physical and mental challenges!

Approach to training Both through my own personal experience and through advising other athletes, I see all too often how we allow ourselves to get "sucked in" or become 'slaves' to our training schedules. One of the important issues for me is the "Catch Up" game. By this, I mean missing a key session and then trying to fit in somewhere else in the week. The bottom line is to avoid this game. Once you start playing Catch Up, you begin to compromise other key sessions later. It may not affect you in this week but at some point it inevitably does. When this happens, we immediately question why we have lost form. Essentially it's a build up and the real irony is your body plays catch up with you! It is far better in your build up to stick to the programme. Where you miss a session, rather carry on with that day's training.

Guilt Whilst on that topic, when you indulge yourself in the game of Catch Up, you also allow yourself to be open to guilt: "Oh, I should have done this session". Or "I am off my schedule- I better make this up to stay on track". This is all mentally draining on your energy levels. In my training I have found way better results by simply leaving what I missed and continuing with the next part of the schedule. You are in the sport for the sense of fun, enjoyment and freedom it provides you. Always remember that.

Schedules This point leads on from my last comment. Whilst it is important to follow a schedule, never be a slave to it either. Some days, you are more fatigued than others. If you have consistent training habits then not sticking to the day's plan is "no big deal" in the big picture. If your training is erratic, it is this irregular pattern that affects your conditioning.

Nutrition For me, so much of our training is about recovery. Placing physical stresses on your body means it needs time to recuperate. In this regard, pay attention to 2 parts of your diet. Are you getting enough protein? Are you supplementing with Glutamine? Glutamine is one of the Essential Amino Acids that assists in your recovery process. As such, it plays a role in the optimal functioning of your immune system. As most of us are endurance athletes, we need to take super care of our immune system. I use glutamine to help me maintain my immune system and assist me with my recovery. By recovery, I refer to the muscle repair.

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